The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-21
ia PARsEE PRIESTS CHAT.
Peculiarities of the Strange Reiigion-Chris-
tianity's Growth in India.

Peculiarities of the Strange Relieion-Chris-
tianity's Growth in India.
Philadelphia Interview.
The Indian seated himself on a big leather
covered sofa, resting his head lightly upon the
back. The writer sat down beside him.
s'You are"
II am Kevasiee Pestangee I do not blame
you that you hesitate when you come to pro-
nounce my name"
He smiled, showing his shining ivory-lk
teeth. He had the intonaton that one finds
among the upper class English to-day. He gave
a broad sound to most of his as, and either he
invariably pronounced ETHER" He had de-
cided accent however, that was not English,
but was like that of no other nationality. 1t was
peculiar to himself. and, as he. said afterwards,
to his people.
Il have come from India as you have seen. I
am leisurely making my way round the world.
l have seen all that desire of Europe, and now
am making tour of this country. have
already been in New York and Boston. am
Parsee."
"a FIRE worshiper"
mo: not fire worshiper That is an erro-
neous idea that many have. The Parsees do not
worship fire. They worship the one God. They
paw respects to the elements-fre. water and the
rest-as great works of God without which we
could not exist. Fire is one of the most beauti-
full and striking of the elements. When Parsee,
In praying. turns his face toward the sun, he
does not worship the sun, but looks upon it as
illustrating the power and the majesty of the
Supreme Being. Fire burns always our tenn
ples as symbol-as q sacred symbol-but
always symbol. There are 10000 or So 0O0 of
rs in India. We do not propagate our religion.
More than that we do not take others into our
religion even. We exclusive. Our temples
open only to those of our faith, and even
when religious rites performed in room no
one not of our religion can be present"
You then hold to the orthodox teachings of
your religion"
Eyes; l am priest"
"A priestl"
Eyes; priest of the outer temple. The priest
hereditary. No layman can become
priest. l am a member of the priestly caste.
My father before me was priest. and his
father, and so on. | in my youth performed the
sacred functions But laid them off afterward
and chose another profession. I went first into
mercantile life. and later became lawyer. The
law is still my profession A priest observes
many outward forms. He always wears white
turban, and is never allowed to shave or cut his
hair. I did not do so until after / laid of my
priestlv functions. l could be restored, If
wished. after undergoing certain religious forms.
But, having once taken up worldly vocation, ]
could never become priest of the inner temple,
where the sacred fire burns"
care the Parsees distinguished by any mark
from those of other religions who live around
themf"
yes Every Parsee wears sacred shirt I
have one on me now. No Parsee is ever with
out it, no matter how far he travels. 1t is made
of null, very light and gauzy. Upon the breast
a square piece . cloth is sewed with sacre
thread. The square has no lettering upon IL,
but to the ParSee 1t signifies equality and justice
The garment is put upon the Parsee child at the
| age of seven, and from that on the child is in
| full communion with our faith, and is held NOR
ally responsible for his acts. The placing of the
| garment upon the body is accompanied with GER
| tain prayers Thereafter the Parsee is bound
| to make his daily prayers. In the morning he
| prays that he may speak the truth, think the
| truth and. act the truth. Our temples open
all day. and one may drop in atany time to make
| his quiet crison."
| what progress does Christianity make
| among the natives of India?"
ut has made very considerable progress es-
pecially among the lower classes. / think, how
| ever, that the progress has been much stayed
during the last ten fifteen years, and that few
| converts are made now"
1.-THE Parsees do not object to the spread OF
| ChristianityT
mo; we fear only the Mohammedans They
| only hate u.s. ana they have oppressed us. Eng
| lan0 IS a Christian country, and the Parsees all
favor and support England in India They
| would support it. too. against Russia. as think
| most natives of India would. We favor the
| English because they have given protection
| and justice. Under them are first in cyiza
| ton among all the Indians. But Persia is our
| country. and Cyrus was our king-Cyrus, who
! released the jews from bondage When after
| wards Persia was subjugated some OF my PEG
Pile fled, carrying with them the sacred fire; the
| others who remained either EN- braced Moham
| mechanism or we're put to the sword. Those who
escaped were the progenitors of those who live
| in India to day.
You have perhaps met Colonel Olcott ant
| Madame Blava.sky in India?"
'The American Theosophistsq They ar.
| amusing Their teachings do not obtain TIT
| slightest consideration in India They are quit,
ignored. However. Colonel Olcott and Madam,
| Blavatsky contrive to make great noise abou
everything they do, and fancy have made al
| impressi here that thew have created q sect II
| India"
Suppose all India should become Christlan7
"All? If all except my people should become
Christians should find no fault. Then vi
should only be careful of one thing"
And chat is"
THAT our children should not become Chris
tianizad. Zoroaster was prophet-Zoroas
ter, who lived before these ages WERE"